Free Week 8 Prediction: Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Purdue Boilermakers Odds
Looking for Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Purdue Boilermakers free picks? Week 8 betting sees the Hawkeyes taking on the Boilermakers on Saturday, October 24th at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana. Cappers Picks provides complimentary handicapping picks all NCAA football season long so stay tuned for more FREE college football predictions like this Hawkeyes Boilermakers Week 8 free pick.
College Football Handicapping: Week 8
(0-0) Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Purdue Boilermakers (0-0)
Date: Saturday, October 24th, 2020
Time: 3:30 pm EST
Venue: Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana
NCAA Football Spread: Iowa Hawkeyes -3.5
NCAA Betting Total: O/U 54.5
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After an initial decision to postpone the season and the subsequent reversal, the Big Ten football season is set to begin this weekend. In an unprecedented situation in, Big Ten teams will play their season openers in week 8 of the college football season.
Iowa Hawkeyes
Following a 10-3 year that ended with a Holiday Bowl win, the Iowa football program has been in the news for a less than ideal reason. During the period of social unrest that followed the death of George Floyd, a handful of former Iowa players spoke out about systemic racism they experienced in the Hawkeye football program. Chris Doyle, the highest paid strength and conditioning coach in the country agreed to turn his in resignation as a result of the allegations.
Iowa returns a lot of talent on the offensive side of ball. Four starting lineman, their leading rusher, and a group of talented receivers are back for the Hawkeyes. 6’5″ sophomore quarterback Spencer Petras will take over for the Hawks at quarterback. Iowa hopes his big arm is able to help open up their offense and stretch the field against opposing defenses. He will have Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Brandon Smith, Nico Ragaini, and Tyrone Tracy as weapons to get the ball to. This group has the potential to be a more explosive offense than last year, as both Smith-Marsette and Tyrone Tracy both average over 16 yards per catch. Tyler Goodson led the Hawks with 638 yards and 5 touchdowns on the ground in 2019.
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The bigger question mark for Iowa comes on the defensive side of the ball. They lost 3 starters from the defensive line and 3 starters from the secondary. Iowa is known for a “next man up” motto and they will need to do so to match their success from a year ago. The Hawkeye defense was the 12th best defense in the country in 2019, giving up only 14 points per game.
Purdue Boilermakers
Purdue is coming off of a injury-riddled season that they finished with 4-8 record. Despite the poor record they have a key players returning from injury and a lot of younger players that gained valuable experience.
Purdue looks to build off of an offense that averaged 393.2 yards per game. They are getting receiver Rondale Moore back after suffering a season ending injury in 2019, and Sophomore receiver David Bell is back after an incredible freshman campaign that saw him score 8 touchdowns. They will be a talented duo for opposing defenses to match up with. It’s unclear if Jack Plummer or Aidan O’Connell will start at quarterback.
Bob Diaco is starting his first year as defensive coordinator for Purdue. They were the worst defense in the Big 10 last year allowing 436.3 yards per game and 192.5 yards rushing. They will have their work cut out for them against an Iowa team that likes to establish the run.
NCAA Football Handicapping Trends
- Iowa is 6-1 SU in their last 7 games.
- Purdue is 3-7 SU in their last 10 games.
- Purdue is 1-4 SU in their last 5 games at home.
Free Week 8 NCAA Football Prediction:
It’s hard to know how both teams will come out after an abnormal offseason and late start to the season. Iowa has had more of a winning culture and more success in recent years. Iowa is returning a lot of talent on the offensive side of the football, and defensive coordinator Phil Parker has shown a nack for consistently putting together good defensive units. Purdue’s run defense was horrible a year ago, and I expect Iowa to exploit that control the pace of the game. Take Iowa to cover the spread.
Free NCAA Betting Pick: Iowa -3.5
Week 8 Free Score Prediction: Iowa 28 – Purdue 20 (Bet Now!)
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